Fixed ammunition for line-throwing guns



Mai. 3 3925..

1,528,100 G. C. DAVISON ET AL FIXED AMMUNITION FOR LINE THROWING GUNS Original Fi1ed May 14 Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

UNETED STATES iszaiee are GREGORY C. DAVISON AND CECIL I. CAULKINS, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, AS-

SIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO AMERICAN ORDNANCE CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FIXED AMMUNITION FOR LINE-THROWING GUNS.

Application filed May 14, 1919, Serial No. 297,130. Renewed May 26, 1923.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that we, GREGORY C. DAVI- SON and Cnon. P. CAULKINS, citizens of the United States, both residing at New London, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fixed Ammunition for Line-ThrowingGuns; and wedo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the. art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in fixed ammunition for use with line throwing guns, which guns are used to throw lines from a stranded vessel to the shore, or from the shore to a stranded vessel, or from one vessel to another, for lifesaving, salvage or other purposes.

The object of our invention is to provide a simple and convenient form of fixed am' munition'. or projectile, on which the line to be carried may be attached, and which fixed ammunition may be loaded as a unit into the gun and fired therefrom as will be hereinafter described.

Our invention is intended more especially for use with the apparatus described in our application filed of even date herewith, serially numbered 297,129 and entitled Improvements in line throwing guns.

Our invention will be more fully understood after reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete fixed ammunition, the line attached thereto being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the base of the projectile and of the cartridge case shown in Figure 1. the parts being shown on alarger scale than in said figure,

and

Figure 3 is a rear view of the device shown in Figure 2.

1 represents the projectile which is preferably made of cast metal, such as cast iron, and is curved as at 2, and reduced as at 3, terminating at its forward end in the eye- 4 to which the line 5 may be attached in any convenient way. At the base of the projectile a cartridge case 6 is attached, the forward end of which is closed by the cup 7,

and the rear end 8 is preferably formed intogral with the cylindrical portion of the car tridge case 6 and is provided with a series of radial grooves 9, which permit the rear end of the cartridge case to be blown out rearwards and outwards when the propelling charge is exploded, as will be hereinafter described.

Passing through the centre of the cartridge case is a stem 10 having its forward end enlarged and screwthreaded, as at 11, to engage in the corresponding screw threads 12 in a socket in thebase of the projectile.

The stem 10 is flanged, as at 13, which flange serves to bind the cup of the cartridge case close up against the rear end of the projectile, and thus hold the cartridge case firmly to the projectile. The rear end of this stem 10 is chambered, as at 14, to receive the cap 15 mounted over the anvil 16, which anvil'is perforated so as to carry the flame of the cap through the passage 17 and the opening 18 in the stem to the propelling charge 19 contained in the cartridge case.

The outer end of the cartridge case and the various joints are coated with shellac, white lead, or other protective or water proof substances, such as 20 in Figure 2, so that the fixed ammunition may be stored away without danger of material deterioration.

In use, the fixed ammunition is loaded in the gun, and the line may be either previous ly attached, or attached after the ammunition is in the gun. The base of the cartridge case will project down into the bore and the primer will be fired by any suitable mechanism, such as that shown in our copending application already referred to.

hen the propelling charge is ignited, the projectile will be propelled forwards, and as it progresses forward the powder gases will blow out the rear case, causing the same to serve as a gas check in the bore of the gun, thus sealing the bore against the escape of the powder gases and utilizing a large proportion of the energy of the propelling charge in propelling the projectile.

After the projectile leaves the bore of the gun, the pressure of the air on the line as it is drawn from the reel, not shown, will cause the projectile to tumble or turn with its heavy end. forwards, and the eye 4.- in the end 8 of the cartridge rear position, which position. will be maintained-by the resistance of the air'on the line as the projectile continues its trajectory.

The projectile-may be cast of cheap. metal, suclras malleable iron, and then finished and painted or covered with protecting material. The only portion of the projectile which need be. finished is. its outer wall, which should be turned true and concentric, and then thoroughly lubricated to prevent rust v The'forward end oithe projectile, incl'ud'- ing therod 3 and theeyeA, should be well painted to prevent rust;

The cartridge case may be drawn ofbrass or other suitable material, as may also the cup 7 closing the forward end thereof, and the propelling charge maybe of ordinary black powder.

Thus it will be seen that we provide fixed ammunition for line throwing guns of which the projectile may be made very cheaply, and is not likely to become injured from storage; and in which the'cartridge case and itsconten'ts may also be made of cheapmaterials, with easily constructed parts;

It will be obviousthat various modifications might be made: in the herein described. device, and in the construction and operation of the same which could be used without departing from the spirit of our invention, and we do not mean to'limit the'inventi'on' to such details except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we" claim and desire to secure by LettersPate-nt of the United States is 1, Fixed. ammunition for use with line throwing guns, comprising a projectile having a cylindrical body portion, and a for wardly projecting stem terminating in an eye, a cartridge case containing the propellingcharge closed at both ends and provided with a central rod screwed into thebase of said projectile, and provided with a flange holding said cartridge case attached to said projectile, and a primer carried by said rod and. adapted to explode said propelling charge, substantially as described.

2. Fixed ammunition for muzzle loading guns comprising a projectile, a rearwardly extending, stem on said projectile, a cartridge case secured to said projectile solely by means of said stem and containing a propelling charge, and a primer for igniting said charge carried at the extremity of said stem.

3, Fixed ammunition for muzzle loading gunscomprisingia projectile, a rearwardly extending stein threaded into said projectile, a cartridge case having a portion thereof clampedbetween said projectile and a flange on said ste1n,:a propelling charge in said cartridge case, and a primer for igniting said charge carried by said stem;

i Incombination, a projectile, a stem carried by and projecting from the projectile, a cartridge case secured to the projectile by saidf stem, said cartridge'case having a rear port-ion only weakened sufli'ciently to cause the exploding charge to blow out rearwardly', a propelling charge in said case, and a primer for said charge, said primer being carried by said stem.

5.'Fixed ammunition comprising a projectile and cartridge case secured to the projectile and adapted to leave the piece with the projectile, a stem secured to the projectile' and extending rearwardly therefrom, said cartridge case being formed of sheet metal and having a forward end lying along and secured to the rear end of the projectile by said stem and a rear end weakened sufficiently to cause the exploding charge to blow out rearwardly.

GREGORY C. DAVISON. CECIL P, CAULKINS. 

